نشریه مطالعات تاریخی قرآن و حدیث
سال نوزدهم شماره 2 (پیاپی 54، پاییز و زمستان 1392)

Prior to 'Abdulqāhir al-Jurjānī, some attempts were made to elaborate the coherency (al Nazm) of Qurān. Some of the scholars involved in these attempts include: al-Jāhiz, Ibn Qutayba, al-Mubarrad, al-Wāsiṭī, Ahmad b. Sahl, al-Rummāni, and Abū Hillāl al 'Askarī. Al Jurjānī utilizing the views of other scholars especially those of Abū Hillāl managed to develop the theory of Quranic coherence. In defining his theory, al-Jurjānī says: by coherency I mean the best possible syntax relation among the words made for expressing an intention. Al-Jurjānī's theory of coherency can be a base for proving the inimitability of the Quran. His theory has had great impact in linguistics in a way that great ctitiques applied his theory and created a new literary style called Formative or Individual style which is similar to the theory expressed by this Iranian scientist. It is because, in his theory, al-Jurjānī says that every style or arrangement of speech is based on a specific attitude indicating the thought and mentality of its writer.

Abdulqāhir al-Jurjānī (d. 471 AH), the famous grammarian is mostly popular for his theory of coherency, a theory by which he managed to view Quranic inimitability from a different angle. This study aims to elaborate on this view, investigates the practical and theoretical factors causing the expansion of it and indicates a few cases of later scholar's attentions to this theory. As it will be shown, the rhetorical views of great scholars up to the 8th century were greatly influenced by al-Jurjānī's views. The theorists like al Zamakhsharī, Fakhrud-dīn al-RāzĪ, al-Sakākī, al-ZamlakānĪ, Yahyā b. Ḥamza al-'Alavī and al-Taftāzānī are among some who were deeply influenced by him. His great fame and popularity might have been due to his devotion to the Asharī theological school and his support of al-Shāfi'ī legal school in the newly established al-Nizāmīyya schools. These two affiliations let his views to spread and develop among later scholars. His early views were welcomed in al-Nizāmiyya school during his lifetime and later in coming eras other scholars pursued his theory as well. In other words, the popularity of his theory seems to have been resulted from the social functions of his theory and the attempts of his students, a theory about which the present study has been formed.

Various researches have been carried out regarding the concept of rhetoric, literary criticism and the orderly theory developed by 'Abdulqāhir al-Jurjānī. Little work has been done however, concerning the comparison of the rhetorical elements developed by 'Abdulqāhir al-Jurjānī with those of others especially the western thinkers. The purpose of this paper is to make a comparison between the rhetoric as suggested by al-Jurjānī and the views of two famous western rhetoric specialists, i.e. Burke and Bakhtin. Using Persian and foreign sources, the views of these two thinkers were first analyzed and then compared with al-Jurjānī's and the similar and different points were later determined. It was concluded that the developments happening in western rhetoric which has caused a new era in rhetoric has a lot in common with al-Jurjānī's views which were suggested many centuries ago.

Metaphor which forms a very important part of our verbal communication has always been an important issue for scientists in various branches of knowledge all over the world. Since ancient time, many attempts have been made to define and classify different kinds of metaphor and determine their status in concepts such as poetry, rhetoric and eloquence. In this paper, the concepts and elements which are surely useful in defining and elaborating the structure of metaphor have been presented. One of the prominent Muslim rhetoric specialists who has managed in the light of proving the Inimitability of the Quran to reach unprecedented horizons of literary studies like metaphor is Abdulqāhir al-Jurjānī (d. 471 AH). He offered a special method for producing and perceiving the metaphor in which in addition to the literary aspects, the psychological aspects and the mental attempts of the creator and hearer of the metaphors are taken into account as well. The bases which he offers for his method can be helpful and inspiring even today. In this paper, these bases have been tried to be briefly explained.

Metaphor is like an imaginary act which unifies two existences in the poet's conscious mind and merges the qualities which are required for creating a poem and weaving imageries. Metaphor has long been studied by the literary critics and Muslim rhetoricians many of whom have had Iranian origin. These Iranian scientists, who had first learned Arabic language, later became prominent Muslim rhetoricians and managed to reach the unprecedented peaks in literary studies. One of these figures is Abdulqāhir al-Jurjānī (d. 471 AH). This article aims to discuss about one of the finest and most artistic kind of metaphors which has received the most controversial rhetorical studies, i.e. the metaphor of Makniyeh and Takhliiyeh from the perspective of Abdulqāhir al-Jurjānī and later famous rhetoricians: Zamakhshari, Khatīb Ghazvīvnī and Taftāzānī.

Although the concept of Majāz has naturally a long history in Arabic literature and goes back to the ancient time, its scientific appearance can be tracked to the third century when this term was extensively used in dictionaries and literary books and as time passed it was expanded to a more sophisticated concept. Among those who has great part in establishing the rhetorical structure of the term and had a profound discussion about it, is Abdulqāhir al-Jurjānī. Generally speaking, Abdulqāhir al-Jurjānī can be counted as a turning point in the history of Arabic rhetoric especially in issues related to "Maānī". The present paper aims to investigate about Abdulqāhir al-Jurjānī's views regarding Majāz. Here the meaning of Majāz and its inclusion to what is known as Majāz Isnād and other related issues will be discussed, based on his book, Dalāil al-Ijāz.